Justin Trudeau and the Electoral Reform Farce

Yesterday I celebrated the one-year anniversary of the day Justin Trudeau brought down the Con regime, after a decade of darkness.

Only to be reminded how fragile was that victory.

And how desperately the Con media are to return us to the nightmare we escaped.

And to try to destroy Justin.



For all it took was Trudeau musing about electoral reform in an interview with Le Devoir, to have some of them claiming hysterically that he was preparing to break his promise to change our voting system.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised that the 2015 federal election would be the last fought under the first-past-the-post system, but, a year into his majority government, he is suggesting that electoral reform is no longer the urgent issue it was when the Conservatives under Stephen Harper were in power.

“Under Mr. Harper, there were so many people who were unhappy with the government and his approach that people said, ‘We need electoral reform in order to stop having governments we don’t like,’ ” Mr. Trudeau told the newspaper in French. “However, under the current system, they now have a government with which they are more satisfied. And the thirst to change the electoral system is less striking.”

And send some like the former Postmedia reporter Stephen Maher, into a paroxysm of rage. 



Essentially, Trudeau is saying that he wanted to change the system until he took over, at which point he no longer saw the need, because Canadians are so happy with him. 

This is the voice of arrogance in power. It’s the voice that whispers in the PM’s ear that, since the best thing for the people (obviously) is that he continue to provide them with wise leadership, their interests are best served by carrying on with the system that leaves him in charge.

Which has been echoed by many others in the Con media.

Even though Trudeau is describing the situation accurately. The urgent desire for electoral reform has faded since he came to office. It's near the bottom on Canadian's lists of priorities.

And if Justin wanted to keep the first-past-the-post system, all he would have to do is agree to hold a referendum on the issue, which the Cons AND the Con media have been pushing so aggressively.




For a referendum would almost certainly lock in the status quo, for years to come.

And even if electoral reform did end up carrying the day, there would be no time to implement the changes before the next election.

And so far Justin Trudeau has shown no signs of favouring a referendum, and has in fact reaffirmed his commitment to change our voting system.

“I think it’s important that a country as forward thinking and constantly improving and evolving as Canada is alert to opportunities to improve our systems of governance and the way we pick our governments,” Trudeau said after taking part in the official opening of Amazon Canada’s new warehouse and distribution centre in Brampton, Ont. 

“That’s a commitment we made in our election that I continue to be deeply committed to.”

And so much for that farce.

Electoral reform is indeed endangered, but only because the Cons and the Con media  are so dead set against it.

Trudeau should be judged by what he does after the committee studying the matter presents its recommendations on Nov. 1.

And in the meantime he is doing Canadians a favour by reminding them that public indifference is the greatest enemy of change.

And those who think differently and are so quick to tear down what we have built,  are only playing into the hands of the Cons.

And will only end up getting the government, and the nightmare they deserve...